12 step recovery

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One Size Does Not Fit All

There are critics of twelve step programs that equate them with a cult. From the outside, perhaps it does appear that we are in lockstep around our actions.The reality is that regardless of our drug of choice, we are all in agreement about a number of tenets. As we say in AA; one is too many and ten are not enough. We can not drink or drug safely. We must practice total abstinence around alcohol,or drugs. We also agree about the importance of going to meetings and having a sponsor. It has been demonstrated time and again that these are important for the maintenance of sobriety. Beyond that, you will find a tremendous degree of variation in how people practice the program. There are people who meditate daily and others who almost never do. Some people have journaling as part of their program, while others have never utilized this technique. Some people go to a meeting once a day, while others go less frequently. There are members who fiercely protect their anonymity while others are very open about the program they attend. You will find certain members attending the same meetings for decades, while others like to experience new people at different meetings every week. Each of us has the flexibility to create the program of recovery which works for us.

Personal Reflection: How have I individualized my program of recovery?